phone Harashima-san right now and the trip is off.’
Kiyomi’s face fell at the mention of her father.
‘Dad!’ Kenny protested. ‘We have to do this.’
‘Good,’ Charles said. ‘Then you won’t mind me coming along.’
The twin-propeller airliner touched down with a bump at the tiny Yonaguni Airport at 13:15 the next day. Compared to other airports Kenny had seen, it hardly merited the name, being little more than a 2000-metre runway with a flat, single-storey white building to one side that served as the terminal.
Stepping out of the Ryukyu Air Commuter plane, Kenny felt like he was walking into an oven. After the chill air conditioning of the pressurised cabin, the warm tropical breeze was a wonderful welcome to the island.
‘I hope you packed your deodorant,’ Kiyomi said, skipping down the steps. ‘It’s nearly thirty degrees here.’
‘That’s because the latitude is not dissimilar to Hawaii,’ Charles added, bringing up the rear. He shielded his eyes from the dazzling sunshine and looked out over the sapphire sea to the north.
‘Is that where we have to go?’ Kenny asked, following his gaze.
‘No. The coordinates you were given are to the south of the island. Let’s get settled first before we discuss that. Follow me.’
Kenny’s father led the way through the baggage-claim area and out into the arrivals lobby where they were met by a white-gloved taxi driver holding a placard. He escorted them to a waiting car and they all piled in.
‘Lucky I booked ahead,’ Charles said, once the taxi started moving. ‘There are only three taxis on the whole island and I didn’t fancy walking.’ The narrow grey ribbon of road followed the coastline, bordered by parched fields of yellowing grass.
Looking out of the window, Kenny noted the island was relatively flat, with some steep hills and outcrops rumpling the wooded interior. There were few tall trees – testament to the scouring power of the typhoons that wound their way through during the summer months.
‘Oh, look,’ Kiyomi said with delight, her nose pressed against the window. ‘Cute little horses.’
The taxi slowed to allow them a better look at a small herd of chestnut ponies grazing by the road, each about a metre tall at the withers.
‘They’re like Shetland ponies,’ Kenny said, ‘only not as hairy.’
‘Yonaguni horses,’ Charles said. ‘They’re a native breed, found only on this island.’
The road curved to the left and skirted the tops of steep black cliffs before descending to the little port of Kubura.
‘This is us,’ Charles announced as the taxi pulled up outside a white-walled, seafront bungalow property.
Stepping out, Kenny paused to sound out the Japanese writing above the entrance. ‘Ta . . . ka . . .’
‘Takahashi Minshuku,’ Kiyomi read for him. ‘Looks cosy.’
Charles shrugged. ‘We’re on a budget. This will be fine. We’ll be ready to set out first thing and it means we can keep a low profile.’
Kenny raised his eyebrows. ‘That’ll be a first.’
The minshuku was a bright, cheery bed and breakfast and it took minutes to check in, stow luggage and grab a table outside on the terrace shaded by ornamental palms.
‘This isn’t so bad, is it?’ Kenny said to Kiyomi, looking up at the sunlight sparkling through the palm fronds. ‘I mean, compared to our usual sewers or quarries.’
‘No,’ Kiyomi agreed. ‘It could be worse.’
Charles returned with a tray of cold drinks. ‘We’re in luck,’ he said. ‘Takahashi-san, the owner, knows a good diving school that can take us out to the south side tomorrow morning.’
‘Diving school?’ Kenny asked.
‘This jewel you’re looking for – isn’t it on the seabed? How else did you expect to reach it?’ Charles took a long glug of ice-cold beer and closed his eyes in satisfaction.
‘Are you guys heading out to the ruins tomorrow?’ A male voice resounded across the decking.
Kenny turned to see a pair of bronzed torsos. Two muscular men in swimming shorts, with closely-cropped hair and several Celtic tattoos, had approached their table. Charles reached over to shake hands and the new arrivals pulled up seats.
‘I’m Matt and this is Dwayne,’ the first one said, flashing a gleaming set of pearly white teeth.
Kiyomi edged closer to the newcomers and ran her hand through her hair.
‘We’re US Navy,’ Dwayne added in a rumbling baritone. ‘On R & R from Okinawa. What brings you guys down here?’
‘Uh, my son’s learning to scuba-dive,’ Charles said, thinking quickly.
‘I’m his instructor,’ Kiyomi added with a wink.
‘What? No, you’re – OWW!’ Kenny rubbed his ankle as Kiyomi caught him with her boot.
‘Did I hear you say something about ruins?’ Charles said, ignoring Kenny’s outburst.
‘Yeah, I thought that’s why everyone came down here,’ Dwayne said.
‘They’re something special, man,’ Matt said. ‘You know these islands, right? They’re all part of the Ryukyu Island chain. Well, I googled all this stuff on Ryukyu, yeah, and you know what? Ryu means “precious stone”, as in archipelago of jewels. That’s what Ryukyu means.’
‘That’s a fair interpretation,’ Charles conceded.
‘But you know what ryu also means?’
Charles slipped into professor mode. ‘There are a number of meanings, depending on the kanji and the context in which –’
‘It means “dragon”,’ Matt interrupted. ‘The original name for these islands is Ryugu-jo – “Palace of the Dragon God”. Isn’t that nuts?’
‘Nuts I’d agree with,’ Charles said, sipping his beer and wondering how much the sailors had drunk already.
‘And this is where the ruins come in,’ Dwayne said, leaning closer. ‘There’s like this whole underwater city out there, bro, with walls, stairs, doorways, statues, temples – totally crazy. Some folks say it’s Atlantis, but I don’t buy that. It’s more like some kind of ancient civilisation that got swallowed up by the waves. Isn’t that, like, totally awesome?’
Charles sat
